The TrainTastic Interactive Model Railroad Museum in Gulfport, Mississippi, officially opened its doors on June 17, 2023. Since then, our team has been blown away by the outpouring of support and excitement from the community and visitors both near and far. Out of all the commotion for our locomotions, there’s one recurring phrase we’ve heard that whistles true:
“This place is HUGE!”
We couldn’t agree with them more! Upon arrival at our destination, the first thing visitors may notice are the words “World’s Largest Model Railroad Museum” stretched across the awning outside our 50,000-square-foot building and outdoor riding train area.
We’re not just blowing smoke. Our sheer size makes TrainTastic the largest model railroad museum in the world, with our 100+ year hobby resulting in a collection of model railroads covering every era and scale!
Now, we already know what you’re thinking… how is that possible? Especially as many other museums and attractions across the globe tout similar descriptions, and we agree that each does have its own impressive accomplishments! What sets TrainTastic apart is that we are the LARGEST and most INTERACTIVE not-for-profit museum entirely dedicated to model trains of all scales and eras.
“A museum is a not-for-profit, permanent institution in the service of society that researches, collects, conserves, interprets and exhibits tangible and intangible heritage. Open to the public, accessible and inclusive, museums foster diversity and sustainability.”
While other layouts and museums may focus only on one aspect of model railroads, such as having the longest track or the largest collection of a particular type of model train, TrainTastic runs the gambit of gauges and more!
Come along as we dig deeper into TrainTastic and a few other destinations that inspired our journey to become World’s Largest Model Railroad Museum!
ALL ABOARD!
Currently, TrainTastic is proud to showcase 20 traditional model train layouts, including LEGO layouts consisting of almost 2 million LEGO – making it the largest LEGO Railroad Display in Mississippi and one of the largest collections in the United States! Plus, our museum offers a variety of TrainTastic activities for the whole family to enjoy. As our motto goes, “It’s Just Train Fun!” And the best part is, we’re only getting started! We plan to add additional layouts – more model trains, more LEGOs, more everything – in the coming months!
As you enter the museum, you’ll be greeted by a life-sized Pullman train car, where you’ll watch a short film about model railroading and how the idea of TrainTastic came to life. Upon exiting the train car, you’ll see the first dedicated museum gallery, where visitors will encounter a massive model train layout depicting the Mississippi Gulf Coast and beyond in miniature!
Designed by Glenn Mueller, President of the TrainTastic Board of Directors, and built in Miami, FL, the entire exhibit took three semi-trucks just to transport to Gulfport in time for TrainTastic’s Grand Opening!
“Everybody that comes in is going to smile, and that’s really our goal: to bring joy and families together. We’re seeing that here every day since we’ve opened, live for the first time, so we’re excited to be already accomplishing our goals.”
In addition to the remarkable display, TrainTastic offers a unique educational experience through our S.T.E.A.M. shop, designed to promote S.T.E.M. learning activities of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math along with the Arts. We also offer engaging summer camps, enriching field trip opportunities, and daily classroom lessons to provide a comprehensive learning environment for visitors of all ages, from 0 to 100.
While TrainTastic may be the world’s largest model railroad museum, we’re here to rally behind everyone who shares our love for trains and promotes the modeling hobby. So now, let’s take a quick trip around the globe to other notable attractions and collections to see their own claims to fame!
Largest Single Model Railway System
According to Guinness World Records, the world’s largest model train set is 15,715 meters (or 51,558 feet, 4.78 inches: and growing!) and is in Hamburg, Germany, at Miniatur Wunderland (or “Miniature Wonderland”). Its model railway is so big that you could spend an entire day just following its route and consists of approximately:
- 1,040 trains
- 4,110 buildings
- 260,000 figures
- And 760,000 hours of construction time!
Largest Collection of Miniature Model Trains
The world’s largest collection of model trains is owned by Dr. Bernd Schumacher in San Luis Obispo, California: it consists of 2,956 model trains! In 1992, Bernd began collecting Z scale model trains (the smallest size in the industry with a 1:220 ratio compared to the real-life trains they’re modeled after) as a way to celebrate his 10th anniversary since immigrating to the United States from Germany. After more than 25 years of collecting – on September 17, 2016 – he achieved the world record from Guinness.
Longest O-Scale Model Train
Commerce Township, Michigan, is home to Chi-Town Union Station, which houses the world’s longest O-scale model train! O-scale model trains are one of the oldest and most popular varieties (a notable manufacturer is Lionel!), measuring at 1/48th of the original sizes of their inspirations. The train itself is 1,112.06 feet in length and consists of 1,205 cars and 26 locomotives: totaling almost 1,400 pounds.
Largest G-Scale Model Train Museum
The largest G-scale model train display can be found at EnterTRAINment Junction in West Chester Township, Ohio, near Cincinnati. This 25,000-square-foot display consists of more than 90 G-scale trains (1,200 train cars each the size of a loaf of bread – 1/24th the size of the real thing), encompassing the early era of American railroading, the middle era, and the modern era. The facility also includes the American Railroading Museum, an expo center and a fun house!
Largest Model Railroad Track in North America
North America’s largest model railroad track is at Northlandz in Flemington, New Jersey. The 52,000-square-foot Miniature Wonderland comprises an art gallery, music hall, doll museum, and of course, a model railroad museum. More than 100 model trains and eight miles of track stretch across the building.
We hope you’ve enjoyed this ride through a few of the many inspiring model trains and museums across the globe. We genuinely commend each and every one of these model train collections and countless others for their unique contributions to the hobby, but don’t let your journey end without experiencing the magic of TrainTastic! Make it your next stop and allow your imagination to soar amidst the awe-inspiring wonders of our Interactive Model Railroad Museum – with boundless opportunities to engage and explore! Plan your visit and grab your tickets HERE!
MOVING FORWARD
Our dream is to make TrainTastic the go-to destination for having fun while learning about the Mississippi Gulf Coast and the world at large. We want individuals of all ages, train enthusiast or not, local or tourist, to have a comfortable place where they can appreciate every aspect that goes into making model railways, trains, LEGO and more. Because to us, trains aren’t just things that get from Point A to B: they form connections between people by igniting their passion and curiosity like coal in a steam engine!
At TrainTastic, we have even BIGGER goals that our team is constantly working to achieve! We’re striving to grow our display of historical model trains and expand our educational opportunities to improve our guests’ and members’ knowledge of modeling, model trains and railroad history: all while promoting everything there is to love about the Gulf Coast throughout the museum experience. Keep chugging along with us to see what our future holds!
